NASA's next-generation space telescope beset by more delay, cost

NASA's next-generation space telescope has been delayed yet again at a staggering cost of $1 million US a day.

For the third time in less than a year, the space agencyannounced a lengthy postponement Wednesday for the James Webb SpaceTelescope. The observatory will now fly no earlier than 2021; untillast fall, it was on the books for a 2018 launch.

The telescope's overall cost is now expected to reach nearly $10billion. Development cost alone will exceed the $8 billion cap setby Congress by more than $800 million, and require re-authorization.

An independent review board citedworker error and embeddedhardware problems for much of the escalating costs and delays.

"There have been several JWST Project problems due to human-induced errors that had substantial cost and schedule impact," the reviewboard said in its report.

In a vibration test of the telescope earlier this year inCalifornia by prime contractor Northrop Grumman, dozens of loose fasteners some 70 pieces in all came off. A few pieces are stillmissing and could well be inside the observatory. The lock nuts werenot tightened properly before the test, according to a report by theboard.

In another mishap, the wrong solvent was used to clean spacecraftpropulsion valves. No one bothered checking to see whether thecleaner might damage the equipment, said review board chairman TomYoung. The valves had to be repaired or replaced.

Spacecraft sensors were also zapped with excess voltage due toimproper wiring. The inspector on duty relied on the technician'sword that he'd wired it correctly and did not double-check the work,the board said.

These are just some of the "seemingly small" mistakes thatcould and should have been avoided, the board said. The loose andlost nuts and bolts alone were enough to bump the mission into 2021,officials noted.

'We have to get this right'

The 29-month delay from 2018 to 2021 represents a $1-billion hit not including the cost of implementing the board's recommendations. Worker morale also took a hit as the problemsmounted; the team had limited time off because of excessiveovertime, the board said.

NASA repeatedly was overly optimistic in the work schedule,especially given the complexities and unique features of the Webbtelescope, Young said. Its sunshield, the size of a tennis courtonce unfurled in space, is needed to keep the infrared telescopecold and is a major risk area, he said.

Despite the many problems, the review board urges that theproject continue given its "compelling" scientific potential andnational importance.

Webb considered a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope ismeant to peer farther into space and deeper into time than everbefore. It will operate from a point 1.6 million kilometresfrom Earth, unreachable by astronauts like the low-orbiting Hubble,launched in 1990 with a misshapen mirror,was.

"Make no mistake:I'm not happy sitting here having to sharethis story. We never want to do this. We always want to talk aboutthe successes that we have," said NASA's science mission chiefThomas Zurbuchen.

Zurbuchen said NASA should have been providing better oversight. Besidesimproved oversight, he said there will be more quality control, and more NASA engineers will be taking part in everything movingforward.

"We have to get this right here on the ground, before we go tospace," Zurbuchen said. "Webb is worth the wait."

Northrup Grumman acknowledged that problems have put the projectbehind schedule. The company said it has changed the way it works toprevent future issues.

"We will not sacrifice quality for schedule. Mission success isour number one priority," spokespersonTim Paynter said in a statement.

The review board has issued 32 recommendations and NASA intendsto implement them all, officials said.

Last September, NASA announced it was delaying Webb's launch from2018 to 2019. Then in March, the launch was postponed from 2019 to2020. Now it's March 30, 2021.

The observatory's original launch date was 2010 and the costunder $1 billion. It was named after NASA's second administrator,who spearheaded the Apollo moon landings.

Young said if the board's recommendations are "rigorouslyimplemented," then the newest date is feasible. He warned the newdate does not allow for any more major problems or mistakes, orextra excessive testing.

"The complexity and risk cannot be overstated oroverestimated," he said.